Looking for a Home
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Fanboy gets kicked out after a fight. He needs a new place to stay. Can the Seller's offer it to him?
1. Chapter 1

Looking for a Home

Chapter 1

"A job?"

I nod a little. "Yeah."

Kyra shakes her head at me, as if that was some sort of sin. "You're going to work."

"I need money, Kyra."

"For you little super hero comics?"

I sigh, not turning from my computer to look at her. "I would have had to get a job eventually. Everyone gets a job at some point."

She huffs from my bed. "Fanboy-"

"No."

"Do not cut me off. I was speaking."

"Maybe I don't care to hear what you have to say."

"What? Now that you got a job, you're some big man now? No. Shut up and let me speak. Idiot."

So I had hit a nerve. I didn't turn around to look at her, because I know that I'll only get a glare. She'd been in a real horrible mood recently and I was about done with it. "Whatever, Ky. I got a job. End of the story."

I hear her get up and leave the room and I figure that she had left the house, which means I would be in trouble tomorrow. Instead, she came back after a few minutes, a soda in her hand.

"I'm not walking home."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Fanboy."

She's not kidding anymore. I sigh, getting out of my chair to take her home. I liked it better when she could steal her own cars. I think about saying this or that with a job, she could save up for a car, but I find better of it.

"Don."

We both ignore Betta as we walk through the living room. She's sitting in Tony's lap, bouncing up and down. Not wanting to fight with Kyra, I take her out to my car.

"Take me to Jecca's."

I groan. I hate her friends. They're so freaking rude to me, just because I don't walk around wearing black and pretending that makes me different. Are you really that different when you have twenty friends that are exactly the same? I got in trouble with Kyra for saying this to Simone though. You try to have an intelligent debate and suddenly you're a bad person.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"If you have something to say-"

"It's nothing."

"It's clearly something."

"I just don't like Jecca. Nothing new."

"I put up with your stupid jock friend, Cal."

"I know."

"Okay then."

"Whatever."

"Alright."

"Just shut up."

We listened to music on the rest of the way there, not wanting to speak to each other except for when Kyra had to give me directions.

When we got there, she gets out and I immediately pull away. I was only halfway down the block when she came running after me. Jecca wasn't home. We tried Simone's, but she was gone too.

"Home?"

"No."

"Then where, Kyra."

"Just drive."

"This is why I need money. For gas-"

"Drive."

I sigh, but listen to her. That lasts for awhile. Then we get bored, so we head to her house. When I pull up, we just sit in the driveway. Roger's not home. We can go in, but we don't. I turn off the car and we just sit in silence for awhile. I want her to get out so I can go home or at least do something, but she just sits there, staring straight ahead. I keep glancing at her, but she won't move.

Then, suddenly, a car pulls up behind me. Dang. Man. I hate this. I hate this. Why did she put me in this situation?

There's a knock on my window and I had to turn the car on again to roll down the window. Immediately, the music blasts loudly. I quickly turn it down before rolling the window down.

"What are you two doing?"

Kyra won't speak to Roger for some reason, so I have to. Great.

"I was just dropping her off," I said, trying to look at him, but also scared.

"Then what are you still doing in the car?"

I don't have an answer for that, mainly because I too didn't know. "We, uh, we're just talking."

He doesn't really care to hear from me. He doesn't like me. And it really makes no sense. I freaking informed him that Kyra was going to hurt herself because I honestly thought that she was. I did a lot for her. I'm no threat to him.

"Kyra?"

She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I just don't want to go inside yet."

"Why?"

She shrugs, not saying anything. I watch her before I realize that Roger could think that I was checking her out, so I quickly stare straight ahead again.

"Well, get out so he can leave."

"He wants to stay. He's going to help me with homework."

I need to teach her about lying. I really do.

"Then get out of the car, so that he can move to the street. I have him boxed in right now."

Kyra does finally get out and goes inside, leaving me outside with her father. He turns and gets back into his car, pulling out of the driveway so that I can park on the street. Once that is done, I try to get inside before he can pull into the driveway, but I don't make it.

He calls my name. I hate my name, but it nearly makes me crap myself coming from him. You'd think he'd take it easy on me, seeing as I'm clearly not one of those meathead guys, but I'm still a guy, I guess.

"Yes, sir?" I turn to look at him, watching as he walks, more like stalks, closer to me.

"You'd find it in your best interest to not be alone with my daughter anymore."

"Yes, sir."

He lets me go the and I walk inside, quickly going to Kyra's room. She's laying on her bed, waiting.

"Okay, so what homework do you need help w-"

"Shut up."

"Kyra-"

"I was just saving myself from getting yelled at. You can go now."

"He thinks that I'm going to help you with-"

"I'll say that you freaked out about him being around and left. Just go."

"But-"

"Go."

"Why? Why are you mad at me? About this stupid job?"

"No, idiot."

"Then what?"

"You really didn't know that I was pissed before?"

"No. You didn't say anything."

"Just…eff off, okay?"

"Ky…Is this about this morning?"

She mocked me for a second before giving me the finger. So I left.

* * *

I want to email Kyra, but I don't. I'm not her stupid little puppet anymore. She can't treat me like garbage and just expect me to forgive her. I will though, just not so soon.

This morning wasn't my fault. At all. I thought that Kyra knew that.

It started out like usual. I drove to pick her up for school. She was running late, which meant that I had to sit in the living room with Roger while he sipped his coffee, watching me like a hawk.

When she finally did come into the room, she'd shaved her head. Again. So I had to listen to Roger yell at her. Then I had to listen to her yell at him. The whole time, it was getting closer and closer to the beginning of school. So, when Roger turned to me and asked me about her hair, I said that I hated it, thinking that it would end the fight. Kyra's right. I am an idiot.

When she wouldn't talk to me all day, I thought it was nothing. Seeing as when I said that I didn't like her shaved head, she had just gotten quiet and let Roger finish yelling at her before we left, I didn't even think it was that big of a deal. I don't like her shaved head. I don't.

Then she came home with me like usual. You'd think that if something was wrong, she wouldn't have come home with me. But apparently not.

And now, I'm sitting here on my bed, staring at my ceiling. I can hear Tony and my mother fighting upstairs. They had been doing this a lot since the baby was born. A few years ago, I would have jumped for joy at the sound of them fighting. Now it just made my stomach hurt.

I guess I fell asleep at some point while I was laying there in the dark. The next thing I knew, my alarm was going off. I took a quick shower before venturing upstairs. No one was around. I listened for Betta, but she either was still sleeping or not in the house. I couldn't hear anything. They must have all left, I guess.

Tony's truck is still outside, but my mom's car is gone. I just get into my own car and drive to Kyra's. I was early today, incase she decided to fight with her father again. I have to get out to get her instead of honking. I had never honked, just because it was so early in the morning that I didn't want to wake any of the neighbors that might still be sleeping. I think it won me brownie points with Roger too, anyways.

"You're early," he tells me as he opens the door. He then turns around and heads to the kitchen. He calls my name and tells me to follow.

"I was making breakfast for Kyra, but she said she wasn't hungry. Here, you eat it."

I sat down at the table and he handed me a fork. I honestly was hungry. I had been so freaked out by no one being home that I didn't eat. And he had gone through all the trouble of making Kyra scrambled eggs and sausage, so why let it go to waste? I didn't realize that when Kyra came into the kitchen, she would think that I had officially moved onto team Roger.

"Why are you eating?"

"You weren't going to eat it," Roger answered for me. "Besides, you two still have thirty minutes before you have to leave."

"I don't even know why you made me food," she said, getting a glass out for orange juice. I almost thought of asking for some, but I knew better than to speak. Look where it got me yesterday.

"I thought that you would be hungry."

"You know that you were just trying to make it up to me for yelling."

"No. I'm being nice. You should try it, Kyra."

She flicked the back of my head. "Hurry up."

I frowned at her, but did speed up my eating. Roger, who was sitting across from me at the table with a newspaper, shook his head. I guess when I said that I hated Kyra's hair, I got on his good side. And I didn't plan on ruining it anytime soon.

"You want more?" Roger asked, getting up. I was going to say no, but he was already scooping the rest of the eggs in the pan onto my plate. Oh God. Kyra's going to kill me.

She was leaning against the kitchen counter, watching as I ate. I kept eyeing the thing of knives, which was too close to her for my comfort.

"You're a computer freak, right?"

I just nod a little, even though Roger can't see me around the paper, which he's reading again. He doesn't need me to speak though, because he knew I was. Kyra must have mentioned it at some point.

Roger lays the paper down on the table and points to a story. He starts talking to me, like we're…cool. I'm cool with my girlfriend's father. The only problem? I'm not longer cool with said girlfriend.

Computers. The news. I'm good with those. I start having a conversation with him, not even noticing that Kyra's left again. We talk for what doesn't seem like a long time, but must have been, because next thing I know, Kyra's flicking the back of my head again.

"It's time to go."

I stand up and Roger goes back to his paper, now reading alone. I start to put my dish in the sink, but Roger stops me.

"Kyra, he's your guest."

I really wish he hadn't done that. She takes the dish from me, rinses it off and then storms out of the house. Roger nods and me and I leave, following after my girlfriend.

"What was that, Fanboy?"

"What was what?" I buckle up and wait for her to do the same before turning on the car.

"You and my father."

"He just offered me breakfast."

"So you ate it?"

"Kyra, I didn't get to eat this morning. I was hungry."

"Why'd you show up so early anyways?"

"Because the two of you almost made me late yesterday. And no one was at my house and-"

"What do you mean?"

"No one was home. They were fighting yesterday and then today, they weren't home like usual."

"Maybe they just took the baby to daycare."

"Maybe."

"Anyways, back to you and my father. Don't think that you guys are buddies now."

"I don't."

"Good. And stop trying to be nice to him."

"I'm not."

"Good."

And that was that.


	2. Chapter 2

Looking for a Home

Chapter 2

Mom was waiting for me after school. She was just sitting in the living room, staring at the door. Kyra had been talking, but stopped when she saw her.

"Kyra, I need to talk to," she says me name, "for a minute. Can you wait for him downstairs?"

Kyra looks and me and I just shrug, so she leaves us alone.

"Hey, Mom. Is something wrong?"

She just stares at me for a moment and says my name again before pausing.

"What?"

"Tony and I are…separating."

I didn't know what to say, so I just stood there, watching her.

"I've…met someone."

Right. Right. This just a weird dream, where I'm blending the past with the present. This is my memory from when I was a kid and she left my dad mixed with my new life. I must have fallen asleep in last period. I should really wake up, because we have a test next week and I'll need to finish my notes.

"Oh."

"And…We're moving. Out of town."

"The boy doesn't want to leave. His friends are here."

I turn and see Tony standing in the doorway. And then my mother's eyes harden, just like they do with my own father. And I can't help but think about my poor little sister, having to deal with this for the rest of her life.

"So what? You think he wants to stay here with you?" The way she says you is like his name is venom and she can't wait to get it out of her mouth.

"I don't know. I just don't think you should move him so close to the end of his high school life. He's a Junior. A freaking Junior. And the first semester doesn't end till December. Are you really going to make him leave?"

Tony was sticking up for me. Or maybe he was just using me as a point to argue with my mother. Either way, I was inclined to agree with him. I didn't want to move. I had finally found friends and a life. I didn't want to give that up. Not yet. Not so soon.

I didn't want to deal with this. Besides, if this was just a dream, maybe Kyra will be nicer to me. So ignoring both of them, I just walk past Tony and go downstairs. Kyra's on my bed, texting on her cell phone.

"What's wrong? She mad about me again or something?"

"They're…she met someone."

"Huh?"

"She wants to move."

"Move where?"

I shake my head, sitting down next to her. "Does it matter?"

Kyra pulled her legs onto the bed, putting her phone away. "It'll be okay, Fanboy. Don't flip out yet."

I put my elbows on my knees, laying my head in my hands. "I don't get it. Why does she always do this stuff to me? I like Tony now. I like living here now."

"It'll be fine. She probably won't-"

"You don't get it, Kyra."

For once, I didn't get yelled at for cutting her off.

"Well, you wanna take off? Staying here right now clearly isn't doing you any good."

"Where do you want to go?"

"Home. You can come too."

"Is your dad there?"

"He's off today."

"Do you want to go?"

"Sure."

Mom and Tony aren't in the living room anymore. She's gone. When we walk outside, he's sitting on the porch. He nods at both of us, but says nothing. I always thought that I would be happy when my mother left him, especially considering that he had been the guy my mother was cheating with for so long. Payback. Now though, it just gave me a headache.

So we leave. Kyra was being nice to me the whole drive there. I think she knows that I'm upset with my mother. When we get to her house, I think about just dropping her off, but I don't. So we go inside.

Roger, who's sitting on the couch, calls out my name. "Sit. There's a documentary on."

I glance at Kyra, but she just rolls her eyes.

"Roger, we need to-"

"Sit," he says, cutting her off. I expect an argument, but she doesn't start one, so I sit down on the couch, a whole cushion in between us. Kyra frowns before walking off, leaving me alone with Roger.

It's really not that bad of a documentary. It's on programming. Really, if I ever had time to watch TV, it would be something that I would watch.

Neither of us speaks. We just sit there and stare at the television, listening as the narrator drones on. It's no edge of your seat drama, but I like it.

Kyra comes back after awhile. She stares at us for awhile before going in the kitchen and getting some chips. Then she sits back down in between us. She put her hand on my thigh, but Roger doesn't say anything. That must tick her off, because she starts to inch it up my leg, staring at him to gauge his reaction.

I push her hand off without thinking. Her father is being nice to me. To us. Why does she have to go and ruin it?

Now I'm on her bad side too. Great. Just great. Kyra sits there for a minute, fuming while eating her chips. Then she tries to speak.

"Roger, can't we-"

"Shhh," he silences her. Or at least tries to.

"Don't cut me off."

"We're trying to watch this."

She looks at me and I nod a little. Kyra gets up and leaves us alone. I hear her bedroom door slam behind her.

When a commercial comes, Roger gets up and gets himself a soda, bringing me one back too. I thank him, opening it. During the commercials, Roger turns it to CNN to get an update on a murder trial.

"It's horrible, killing people," he said, nodding at the television. "Wish they'd just give all murders the death penalty."

I don't respond, not wanting to differ opinions with him and ruin this. Roger doesn't need me to speak anyways. He continues the conversation as if I had agreed. Then he turns it back to the documentary and we get quiet again. I don't get why Kyra hates it here. It seems to me like they spend as little time with each other as possible.

When the show ends, there's another documentary on. It was about Lincoln's Assassination. I took a sip of my soda before setting it on the side table, making sure to put it on a coaster. Roger saw this and laughed.

"Couldn't get Kyra to do that if I enticed her with a hundred dollars."

I looked at the tabletop and saw that it was covered in marks from drinks. He got up and did something in the kitchen before coming back.

"Making dinner," he told me. "You wanna stay?"

"Sure," I say without thinking. Whatever they were having had to be better than the sandwich that awaited me at home…for how ever long it'll be my home.

He took a sip of his soda and I realized how nice it was, someone drinking soda instead of beer twenty-four seven.

When the next commercial came up and he switched it to CNN, I got to find out that Roger is very liberal, given the conversation he had while I sat there silently. Except on the death penalty, he assured me. He'd never let up on that.

So I sat there for an hour, watching about Lincoln and listening to Roger's point of view on the world. It wasn't that bad, seeing as I had to listen to his daughter's all the time and her's typically involved killing everyone. I didn't say anything to him though, just sat there and would nod my head or shake it when he asked me a question. He would randomly get up and check on dinner, but other than that, we just sat on opposite sides of the couch, watching television together.

"It's time to eat," he told me at one point, adding in my name. "Go get Kyra, please."

I went to her room to do so, but her door was locked. I could hear her stereo blasting, so I knocked.

"Eff off, Roger!"

I kept knocking until she opened it. She immediately laid back down, not even looking to see who it was.

"There, happy?"

"It's time to eat."

She sat back up at the sound of my voice. "You're still here?"

"Yeah."

"What have you guys been doing?" She got up and turned off the music.

"Talking. He likes to talk a lot."

"About?"

"The news. Politics especially."

She just stared at me. "And you talked with him?"

"No. I listened."

"Why?"

I shrugged, not wanting her to know the real reason. I didn't want to go home and deal with what was going on. It was just easier to let Mr. Seller's tell me the way he saw the world than watch my own ending. I didn't know how to explain it. Plus, dinner was done.

"You're staying. For dinner."

"Yeah." I walked with her back out there, making sure to grab my soda on the way. When we got in there, Roger had made baked potatoes. Kyra got a plate and started to leave. Roger had sat down at the table, so I went ahead and did the same thing.

Kyra said my name, turning around. "What are you doing?"

"Eating."

I could tell that she wanted to yell at me for being sarcastic, but what could she do? Well, she technically still could, but I think she was still in shock about Roger suddenly liking me. It figures right before I have to leave town he finally warms up to me.

"You can join us, Kyra," her father offers.

"Eff you."

"Kyra, he's your guest."

"Is he? Really? You sure are chatting him up."

"You could have stayed and watched the documentary too, Kyra."

"Gee, I just can't wait to get home from school so that I can sit with my father and watch some boring ass documentary on stupid-"

"If you don't want to eat with us, just go."

She turned, leaving. I wonder if I was supposed to follow. I hope not. Between an angry Kyra and a talkative Roger, I think I had made the correct choice. The second that Kyra's door was slammed, Roger began to speak about something. I listened to him while eating.

"You sure do eat a lot," he commented when Kyra came back, getting up to get a glass of water. She gave me the rest of her food. She doesn't eat very much.

"All he eats is sandwiches at home," she offered up for some reason. I glance at her, but she just rinses her plate, not saying anything else.

"You can stay for dinner more often, if you like," her father says, sitting back down. Kyra leaves again and, after I finish eating, I follow her.

"I think I'm going to take off now."

She on her computer. "Cool. Whatever. See you later."

"Kyra, come on. Your dad isn't that bad. I liked talking to him."

"And?"

"You're acting like I wronged you or something."

"Just leave me alone, Fanboy."

I came up behind her, touching her shoulder. I expected for her to jerk away, but she just sat there. I resisted the urge to look at her computer screen and find out the horrible things her friends were probably saying about me.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow, okay? We can talk them. Or even tonight, over IM if you feel like it. I probably won't sleep anyways."

Kyra says nothing, but that's better than her saying something mean. I leave, closing the door behind me. As I start for the front door, Mr. Sellers calls out to me from the couch.

"You leaving already?"

I tell him yes and thanks for dinner. He just nods, going back to his television.

I expect for my mother to be waiting to yell at me when I get home, but she's not there. Her car's gone too. Tony's passed out on the couch, beer cans littered around him. I shake my head, going to my dungeon downstairs.

I IM Cal for most of the night, but Kyra never sends me a message. Around three in the morning, I go to bed. I'm woken up by fighting at five, which is fine. I went to take a shower and get ready before heading to Kyra's, not wanting to stay around their fighting. I get there way too early and just sit outside, waiting for an appropriate time to go in. Roger sees me out there when he comes out to get his paper. He frowns, nodding at me to get out.

He says my name as he heads in. "What are you doing? You still have a long time before you have to show up to get her. Come on, come in."

Roger's got work today, so after letting me in and turning on CNN, he goes off to get ready. I was sitting there when Kyra came in. She didn't even glance my way, apparently thinking I was her father. She just went into the kitchen.

"Roger! There's no more Pop-Tarts!"

"He can't hear you," I said, which I'm sure made her jump. "He's in his room."

She walked out of the kitchen and back into the living room. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't go back to sleep and they were fighting, so I just showed up. I was going to just sit outside and wait until you were ready, but your dad made me come sit down on the couch. He said that he didn't want to miss the story about the earthquake and wanted me to tell him about it."

She regarded me with suspicion. "I told you not to make him think you guys were friends."

"We're not." I noticed that Kyra didn't wear her magic bra to bed and the shirt she had on was way too tight for her normal style. I must have been staring, because she crossed her arms over her chest, giving me a look. Then she stormed off, but I'm not sure if it's because her of her boobs or her father's new found interest in me.

"Hey," Roger says my name, coming back into the room. "The story come on yet?"

"Nope," I said. "All they've talked about is the election."

"Bah." He grabs the remote, standing behind the couch as he searched for something else to watch. He ends up on a local station. "I hate this station, but at least they're on the earthquake, huh?"

He goes into the kitchen, making a bowl of cereal while listening to the television. When he comes back, he has a bowl for me too. So we sit there, listening about some devastating earthquake, while eating Frosted Flakes mixed with Captain Crunch.

"Roger, we're out of Pop-Tarts," Kyra says as she comes back. She sees me eating and rolls her eyes.

"There's cereal, Kyra."

"You need to buy more-"

"I will."

She stomps off, back to her bedroom. I still have an hour and a half to kill, which I get to spend watching CNN after the earthquake coverage goes off the local station. After we finish the cereal, Roger pops open his newspaper, half reading, half listening. Randomly, he'll say something or point out a story in the business section to me.

"I'm making stew for dinner tonight," Roger tells me at a commercial.

"Oh."

"You coming?"

"Sure."

He nods. "There's a debate on too. We'll watch it."

"Okay."

When Kyra comes back, she sits in-between the two of us, sighing loudly multiple times.

"What's wrong?" I asked after the fifth. I had been afraid of being shushed by Roger, but he seemed to be more into his paper than the TV now.

"Nothing."

"Then why-"

"Shut up."

It was my turn to sigh. So we sat there until it was finally time to go. Roger tells me to be there by seven for the debate. When we get to the car, Kyra asks what that means.

"Oh, I'm coming to dinner."

"Fanboy, I told you not to-"

"I'm not. And why do you always act like Roger doesn't make you dinner and I have to buy you food?" I buckle up my seatbelt. "He sure does seem to make dinner a lot. And he made breakfast yesterday."

"Maybe I just don't want to eat with him. Ever think of that? No? Yeah. And now I'm stuck having dinner at home again tonight. Thanks."

I just shrug. "Sorry. You didn't eat though, right? You want me to stop and get you something?"

"No, idiot. Just get to school."

"Fine." I turned up the radio, no longer caring to hear from her.

* * *

I hang out with Cal a little after school instead of Kyra. She wanted to go somewhere with Jecca and Simone, so I readily got out of that. Cal and I went to his house.

"So he's just talks to you?"

"Yeah. We watch the news together. And documentaries."

"But Kyra's mad?"

"Very mad." I shake my head. "Anyways, what have you been doing?"

"Nothing really. Oh, you know Kris Yates?"

No, not really. I nod though and get to find out that they have a date on Saturday. He asks what Kyra and I are doing, so I tell him about the comic store that we're supposed to drive down to a few towns over, but with how funny my mother had been acting, I wasn't sure.

"You really think she's going to make you move?"

I shrug from my spot on the floor. I have my back pressed against his bed, staring at the door. "I really don't care anymore. She can do what she wants. Tony offered me a place to stay and I think I will. I just have to come up with rent, I figure. I mean, he's nicer now, but he's not that nice."

"You got that new job."

"Yeah and I also got Kyra's birthday coming up, not to mention Christmas before that."

"Ooh, ouch. What are you getting her?"

"I dunno yet," I say, shrugging again. "I still have a few weeks. It shouldn't be that hard to decide."

"Kyra looks pretty easy to buy for," Cal says, which gets a crazed look from me. "Just buy her a black shirt. Or a hat, seeing as she's bald again."

I sigh a little. "Maybe I'll buy her hair dye. I'm sure she'll like that."

"Yeah, but if you want your little friendship with Roger to continue, you wouldn't want to do that."

I shake my head, glancing at my watch. "Dang. I have to go if I'm going to be there by seven."

"Do you even know if Kyra's home?"

"No, but I told her dad that I would be there, not her."

"You guys keep getting weirder."

I just sigh before leaving. When I got to Kyra's, she wasn't home. That didn't deter her father from inviting me in.

"Got here early," he told me as we sat down. At the moment, he was watching a sitcom. "You like this show?"

Honestly, I didn't know the show. I don't have a television in the basement. Instead of saying that, I shrug and say, "Its okay."

"Kyra hasn't called. Do you know where she is?"

I nod. "She didn't want a ride home today. She went somewhere with Simone and Jecca."

Roger shakes his head, letting out a breath. "Figures."

I sat there and watched the television with him. I didn't particularly like the show, but I still had this odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. I wouldn't call it happiness, but it was something close. I mean, Roger liked me now. He honestly thought that I was an alright guy. He'd hated me since I called him that day when I thought Kyra was going to blow her brains out, but now he really likes me. Enough to hangout with me when she's not even around. Though, I will agree with Cal, this is kind of weird.

"Kyra never calls. She call you a lot?"

"Not really."

He shakes his head before nodding at the television. "I hate this. Holiday episodes of a TV show."

I shrug. "I don't mind them."

"You don't have an opinion on anything, do you?"

I just shrug again and he leaves me alone, now going back to his one sided conversation. When the debate came on, I sat there silently, as did he. I wasn't really a political person, but I did sort of like listening to Roger make noises as certain things each person said. This was definitely different than watching TV with Mom and Tony.

"Come on," he adds my name on the end, getting up at a commercial. "Let's eat. Kyra can get something to eat later. She probably won't even come home. I make her dinner, but she never shows."

He hands me a bowl before going to pull cornbread out of the oven. 'You like cornbread? Kyra does."

I put some in my bowl before putting some stew on top of it. He sees this and laughs.

"You mix it together like a kid would do." He takes his on a paper towel before going to sit back down on the couch. I sat opposite of him, letting my beef stew cool off a little.

"So sandwiches, huh?"

I nod a little and he laughs.

"I don't care for eating the same thing all the time. I usually work to much to eat anything other than fast food, but recently I've been getting off more. I come home, make food, but Kyra just stays at your house or Simone or Jecca."

"We could come here more," I mumbled. "It's just…never mind."

"Just what?"

"You don't like me. You told me not to hang around here very often. So I don't."

He sighed a little and I think I saw that Sad, Tired that Kyra always talks about. Though, it was hard to tell, because he always seemed sad and tired, constantly.

"Kyra's never had a boyfriend. Kyra's never even dated to my knowledge."

Good news on my side. "Really?"

"What about you? You're some hotshot artist, right?" He glanced at me.

"No. I mean, I guess, but I knew Kyra before that. Before I got published in the school paper, Kyra…We were talking."

"Ah. The infamous 'talking'. Whatever just happened to admitting you were seeing each other?"

"We weren't. We really were just talking. Then she came home from…that place and things were different."

"How?"

"Kyra was different. And…I guess me too. And…She'll probably be mad that I said anything."

He shrugs. "She's not home. She won't know."

And that was that.

* * *

I was half watching the second airing of Nancy Grace and half asleep when Kyra shows up. Roger's very into the television, mumbling to himself while the woman on screen basically declares herself a saint and the rest of the word sinners. I don't mind though. This is better than home.

Anyways, when Kyra walks in, it takes me a second to register it. My eyes are hardly open and I just want to finally pass out, but I can't do that at Kyra's house. I don't know why I was staying so late anyways. Maybe I felt like 'What the hell? Mom's making me move anyways. What's the worst that can happen?'. Or maybe I just like it here a little too much.

"Kyra, where have you been?"

"Out. Why are you still here?" She looks at me and I force myself to wake up. I sat up a little.

"I just didn't feel like leaving yet."

"Well, just get lost, okay? If I'm not here, you don't need to be here."

"I thought that we were eating dinner here. You're the one that didn't show up."

"Then you should have left."

"Your dad freaking made dinner, Kyra. Don't try and make me look like the jerk for actually staying and eating it. If my dad was around to actually do stuff for me-"

"I don't know when your fag feels for Cal turned onto my dad, but you need to cut it out, freak."

I stood up, shaking my head. "Screw you, Kyra."

I don't know if she got yelled at after that. And I don't care. I finally get good in with her father and she acts like a brat about it. I mean, come on. Why does she always have to throw gay in my face? When she knows that I'm not? It's like she honestly thinks that I am. Or maybe she is and she's deflecting. Or at least bi or something. Yeah. I'll bring that up next time she hounds me.

I get home, but once again, no one's there to yell at me for being late. It's like the house has died and I'm just the final cell, roaming the body one last time. I can't keep the body alive on my own, but I don't want it to die yet. No, not yet.

I almost don't log into my computer, but then I decide that Cal might have emailed more or something. I do have one email, but it's not from him.

_Eff you. I'll ride the bus tomorrow._

Fine. She acts like I did something to her, which I didn't. I mean, come on, she's the one that didn't show up, not me. I got there on time. Early actually.

I was laying in bed, thinking about Schemata, trying to keep stupid Kyra out of my mind, when she forces herself into my head.

The phone rings. No one else is home though. At least, none of their cars are. A million horror movies with the skinny white guy picking up the phone only to be cursed or murdered run through my mind. But then I realize that the only thing to fear is fear itself…and my vindictive girlfriend. So I force myself upstairs answer it.

"Hello?"

"It's cold outside. It's going to snow in the morning. I'm not waiting for the bus."

I take a deep breath. "No one's home."

"What?"

"At my house. They're all gone. Even Tony and the baby."

Kyra pauses, clearly not all that interested. "Maybe you're in Tales from the Darkside."

"I can't even get something cool like Tales from the Crypt?"

"Fine, whatever. Crypt, Night Gallery, Twilight Zone, they're all the same. Just shut up about your stupid life."

Because I don't have to hear about hers all the time.

"I just-"

"Are you picking me up or what? Because if not-"

"If not what? Your stupid friend's give you a ride? Why don't you let them then, Kyra? Huh? Since they're so much better than me. Since they get you so freaking well."

"…Are you done yet? I was going to say, if not, then I'm going to take a mental heath day."

She needs something with mental health… I hold down a laugh, looking around the dark kitchen and wishing that I had turned on a light. I jumped onto the counter.

"Don't skip. I'll get you. I always do."

"I know."

"Then why didn't you just email me? Or IM me?"

She sighs and I wonder if she's smoking again or she's just tired of our conversation…or maybe even me.

"I don't know. I just wanted to talk. So many people don't talk to their friends anymore."

Friends. She's still mad. Though, really, she hardly ever mentions me as her boyfriend. I usually tell people right off the bat that she's my girlfriend. Because it's kind of still amazing. I mean, she's just Kyra, she nothing special, but she's still a girl. I have a girlfriend and Cal doesn't. That's what's really amazing.

"What are you doing right now?"

"Is that sex question?"

I would have chocked, had I not been waiting for this. "No. Really, what are you doing?"

"Just laying in bed. You?"

"I'm sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting for the monster to come kill me."

"Aw, is Donnie afraid of the dark?"

I want to glare at her, but we're just on the phone. "No, but it's just creepy, that's all."

"I stay home alone all the time, you big baby."

I groan. "Kyra, I'm just saying that it's weird."

"Maybe your mom went out with that new guy. Have you met him?"

"No. I don't want to either."

"I don't get why you guys have to leave town."

"I don't either."

"Well, actually I do. It's because your mom's a whore."

"Kyra!"

"What?" I hear the bed move as she changes position. I want to go back downstairs, to my own bed, but that would mean having to come back up to hang the phone up afterwards. "She is. She really is. I mean, come on. I'll admit that my mother had to have been a freak. She hooked up with Roger."

I sigh, knowing that it had to have hurt her, saying that, even though she tried to hide it with jokes. I didn't comment on her mother. Number one, I like my balls attached to my body, thank you. Number two, no matter what she says about my mother, she's still alive. Hers isn't. I win. Every time.

"Let's just talk about something else. Like…What do you want to do Saturday?"

"I'm sure you want to watch a romantic comedy with my dad."

"Shut up, Kyra."

She pauses. "You're being a real dick. It's a joke, Fanboy." I can almost see that stupid smile, her lip ring rising into a sneer. "Unless…do you really have an old man fetish, Donnie? Huh? You have thing for bears?"

I don't know why I let her get to me. I really don't.

"Me? You're the one always deflecting. You got some sort of freaky stuff hidden in _your_ closet, Kyra? Huh? Anything you want to fess up to?"

"I don't have to tell you anything. You're the one trying to get in bed with my dad. If anything, I should be the one questioning _your_ motives."

"I'm not into guys. And definitely not your dad. I'm being nice to him. He's being nice to me. You're the one that banned me from hanging out with certain friends."

"I did not."

"You freaking fight with everyone. They don't want to chill with me ever because you're always lurking in the shadows."

"Oh, like you had so many friends before me."

"Maybe not, but I did after you went away."

"Then what? You want me to go away?"

I sigh. "No. Of course not. You know I don't. You're…there, everyday. I like that."

We quiet for a few minutes and I hear her get up. "Have you looked outside? Since you left?"

"No."

"It's snowing hard. Go look."

I jump down and go to the backdoor as I hear Kyra close her own. "Don't go out there and get a cold."

"Thanks, Roger."

"I'm not kidding. I know that you've been smoking again. If I can't stop that, I'm at least going to keep you from getting a cold."

"Do you see it though?"

"Yeah."

I hear her take in a breath and I know this time that she's smoking. "Is your head not cold out there, in the snow?"

"A little. I have that hat that you left over here."

I think of her in my hat and just a t-shirt. No bra. Maybe a pair of shorts, maybe sleep pants. I'm not concerned with down there anyways. I mean, no bra and all that cold…

"I don't want to go out. I'm just in boxers and an undershirt."

She laughs at me and, again, I can see that smirk, but this time, I like it. I want to kiss it. I wonder if she's wearing lipstick. I want to ask, but I'm not sure how to work it into a conversation naturally. I hope it's the blue. No red. No classic Kyra, classic black. Yeah. I imagine that, licking my own cracked lips.

"Roger yelled at me before going to bed. Apparently, you'd make a better son than I do a daughter."

"He said that?"

"No. He implied it."

"Tell that to my mother and father. I'm sure they'll get a kick out of it."

"No good news on that front?"

"I don't know. I guess not."

She takes a drag before saying anything. "You can't just live with your dad?"

"I don't know. I don't care. I just know that that'll still mean that I have to move. Things are looking up for me this year. Schemata's published, I have more friends, and…I've got you. Why do they want to ruin that?"

"I dunno. I've told you before. Adults have such effed up lives that they have to do the same thing to ours to feel better about themselves." She sighs a little. "Damn, it is cold."

"Go back in and get a coat, Kyra."

"You're not my parent."

"I know that, but-"

"Shut up."

I want to kiss her really bad all of a sudden. I can feel myself getting hard, just from the thought of her boobs and blush. She's not around though, so she doesn't know. Why does it matter to me? I start to reach a hand down to touch myself, but I stop. I'm the freaking kitchen. Not to mention I'm on the phone…With the girl that's doing this to me…well, the girl I imagine her to be….want her to be…

"You okay?"

I frowned. 'You told me to shut up."

"Fanboy."

I backed away from the backdoor and back to my room without thinking. It wasn't until I laid down on my bed that I thought about having to go all the way back up there. Oh well. I just will keep the phone down here all night. What's Mom going to say? At least I'm not bed hopping. Okay, so I can't even jump into one bed with a girl, but still. Kyra and I will eventually. I hope…

"I hate the effing cold so much," Kyra's saying now. I guess she's been talking the whole time; I've just been blocking it out. "I want to move somewhere warm when I get out of here. Somewhere where it's always sunny. Even during winter."

"Mmmhmm."

"That'd be fun, right? More fun than this town. I hate this town. I hate everything about this town."

"Uh-huh."

"Not everything, of course."

"Of course."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Mmm, yeah."

"Fanboy?"

I have my eyes closed now, trying to ignore my thoughts. All I can see is Kyra topless. I've seen that though, so that's not what's doing this to me. It's something else. I just don't know what.

"What?"

"You alright over there?"

"Yeah. Just tired."

"You tired?"

"I know, huh?"

She sighs. "I think I'm going in. It's so cold."

I don't care where she goes. I'm going to keep thinking of her out there, freezing in my hat. Only my hat on, nothing else. And her lipstick. It's blue right now. Just like her lips.

Her birthday. I suddenly remember that. I want to buy her a pushup bra. I almost mention this, as a joke of course, but the part of me that isn't intoxicated with need for sleep, stops the other half.

"You still there?"

"Huh?"

"If you're not listening-"

"No, no. Keep going. I like your voice."

"What?"

I yawn loudly. "I'm so tired, Ky."

She pauses. "You wanna just hang up then?"

"No. I want to keep talking to you."

"Alright, but if Roger finds out about this, you won't be his little buddy anymore."

I laugh loudly. Too loudly. What is wrong with me? "Finds out 'bout what, Ky? Talking?"

"No. Talking all night."

"Is that what we're gonna do?"

"Looks like it."

"There's no one I'd rather talk to all night."

"So you have been sneaking those damn romantic comedies behind my back? Should I be surprised?"

I cuddle into my bed. "I'm cold."

"Go get another blanket. No one else is home, right? Steal one of theirs."

"No thanks. I'm not leaving this bed. I feel like my feet are going to freeze off."

"You whine every time it snows."

"No."

"Yes."

"How would you know? It's only snowed a few times since we got together."

"I just know you."

"Oh, you do?"

"Yeah."

We both fell silent and I started to drift again.

"Fanboy?"

"Here, Ky."

"Good."

"I work tomorrow after school."

"Then you need to sleep."

"Nah, I'll just pop a few pills. No prob."

"What pills?"

"Tylenol."

"Where do you work anyways?"

"Comic store, where else?"

She laughs a little. "The one in town?"

"The same."

"You're such a loser."

"And? I'll be a loser with enough money to buy you a birthday present."

"Really? What? I haven't gotten you one."

"You were away then."

"Still."

I can picture her now, laying on her bed, one arm at her ear, holding up the phone, the other at her side, playing with the hem of her shirt, leaving her breasts perky and bouncy. Man I need sleep.

"What will you get me?"

"I dunno. I need to get you a Christmas gift first. Maybe I should just do one. Which would you rather want?"

"You don't have to get me anything, Don."

"Yeah, I do," I tell her, hardly even noticing the name slip. "You're my girlfriend, right? We're serious about each other. That means that I get you stuff."

"Does it?"

"Yeah, it does."

"Fine."

I fell into some weird state then. I wasn't asleep, but I wasn't awake either. I was aware of Kyra talking to me, but now everything she said got played out in my head, like a movie. The only issue is that the movie is x-rated. I can hear Kyra still talking oblivious to what her words are doing to me. I want to force myself to wake up, but I can't. Plus…I kind of like the dream.

"You still there? You're probably asleep. I can't sleep. Now you have me ready to pull an all-nighter."

I don't know why that wakes me up fully. "Ky?"

"Now you wake up."

"Mmmm."

"What were you dreaming about?"

"Don't know." Not her. It had morphed into someone better. Way better. I opened my eyes a little, yawning some more. "It's only three in the morning. This is going to be a long day."

"You wanna go to sleep now?"

"No. We've made it this far."

"We? You conked out."

"Not really. I could hear you, I was just stuck asleep."

"You're not going to be worth shit today at work."

"I'll be fine. Three hours of sleep won't do any difference at this point."

"Maybe Roger can make his little boytoy coffee when you get here."

I just groan, rolling over. "Not today, Ky. My head hurts."

"If you're just going to whine all day, go ahead and skip. We can skip together if you want."

"Then you'd still have to hear me complain, right?"

"No. Then you'd come over after the pirate's left and we can do what we want while Jolly Roger's out."

I let her talk about us being alone at her place for awhile, hardly listening. Does she not think I don't have my own ideas for that time?

I was startled, to say the least, when there was a knock on my open door. I had forgotten to close it. I looked up and saw Tony standing there. What time was it now?

"School's closed. Snow day."

I nod a little and he leaves. I relay this to Kyra.

"For real? Good. Get your ass over here now."

"Ky-"

"As happy as my dad's been with you recently, we won't even have to go behind his back for this. Please, Fanboy?"

I get up, ignoring the cold that greets my feet. "Let me shower and stuff first."

"Why? You haven't done anything that would require that. Get over here now. Come on, Fanboy."

I go and pull on a shirt and jeans. "I can't find my h…oh yeah. You have my hat."

"Yep. The only way you're going to get- Roger, just open the door. It's not freaking locked."

I heard her father come in. "Who's on the phone?"

She tells him me before saying, "He's just calling to say that school's closed and he's coming over."

"School's closed? I haven't even looked outside. Is it bad?"

"Must be."

"How do I know that you're not just skipping, Kyra?"

She says my name again, "never skips. He's, like, always there."

"I have to get to work, Kyra. I don't have time to-"

"I'm serious, Roger." She huffs. "I have to go, Fanboy. Just get here, alright?"

I start to say something, but then she and Roger are arguing and she just hangs up. I groan, going to find a coat and boots. Time to head to Kyra's.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, Your Fan, the author, Barry Lyga, said on a blog once that he never uses Donald's full name in the first book because it's from Fanboy's point of view. He hates his name, so he'd never mention it. Kyra mentions it in the second book though. **

Looking for a Home

Chapter 3

Tony's upstairs, sitting down at the kitchen table when I get there. He glances up at me, but just nods. I almost ask him where everyone was last night, but I don't care to know, really. I hang up the phone before taking off for Kyra's. I have to let the car warm up and chip away the ice, but it hadn't snowed as bad in our neighborhood. I was trying to figure out why they closed school when I got further into town and figured out.

"Dang, it snowed hard."

I guess our house was just lucky. Needless to say, it takes forever to get to Kyra's. When I do, she's out front, arguing with Roger as he tries to shovel the snow away from his car so he can leave.

He calls out my name as I get out of my car. "Perhaps you can help, huh?"

"Roger, he's not here to shovel for you. You're the one that-"

"I can do it," I said, shrugging at Kyra. "Go inside, Ky. It's cold."

"Go eff yourself." She stomped off back inside, like I wanted anyways. So who really lost out on that one?

Roger sighed a little before going inside too. I started to shovel the snow, but was quickly interrupted.

"Here, idiot." Kyra walked over to me and forced my hat on my head. "You'll get sick, stupid."

I just smile at her. "Thanks, K-"

"Shut up." She goes back into the house. Sigh. After I finish shoveling, I go inside. Roger's there, tying a tie while staring at the television. He greets me, though he didn't look away from the television.

"I suppose you and Kyra think that you're going to hang around here all day, alone."

I stand there awkwardly, not sure if this was a rhetorical question or not. When he stayed silent, I decided the latter.

"We can leave, it's just we don't have a lot of places to go. I mean, my stepdad's at my house right now, so we can go back there if you want."

He sighs a little, thinking. "Stay."

"Really?"

"Don't get any ideas. I don't care who you are. You touch my daughter inappropriately and I'll hurt you. I know that most people have lessened the rules about what's acceptable, so to be clear, do nothing you would not do in front of me. Better yet, your own mother. Understood?"

I nod numbly. He comes over to me and pats me on the shoulder. "Don't tell Kyra I said anything. She likes to think she's a big girl."

"I can hear you, Roger!"

He smiles a little, looking passed me and down the hall. He seemed like he's been in a better mood recently. I guess he and Kyra are getting along. One more pat on the shoulder and a warning not to fool around with Kyra before he's gone. Then I'm alone with the psycho.

"Ky?" I turn off the television. "I left my backpack in the truck."

"Whatever."

I go out and get it before coming back, headed to her room. "It's freezing."

"You're such a baby. My head's freaking shaved. Do you know how cold that is?"

"By your own choice. I didn't chose to be so-"

"Boney? Frail?"

"Thin. I was going to say thin."

"I'm thin, Fanboy."

"No, you're boney and frail." I lay down next to her on the bed. Kyra makes me lift up my legs so that she can pull the covers down before wrapping both of us up in them.

"Ha. As if." She lays on her side, leaning slightly into me. I'm on my back, keeping still to see what she does. Kyra lays a hand on my stomach, sighing a little.

"If you suck in, I could feel your ribs. That's boney. And take off your coat."

I sit up and do so, just to keep her from complaining. While I'm doing that, she gets a text from Jecca.

"Jecca wants to hangout."

"Oh. I can drop you off and-"

"I'm with you, Fanboy. I hung out with them last night."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh." She kisses me as I lay back down. "Still cold?"

"Yeah."

"You're always cold." She lays her head on me, sighing a little. "Better?"

"Getting there." I close my eyes. "I'm glad that we don't have school. Now I can sleep."

"Not the whole time," she mumbled, also closing her eyes. "We have to screw in Roger's shower. You know, to piss him off."

I just sigh, not able to respond. I was so tired. I wrap an arm around Kyra, smiling little when she didn't move at all. She might have even cuddled into me. Maybe. Kind of.

When I wake up though, she's gone. I just lay on her bed for a few minutes, thinking. I hear my name called and I sit up. That sounded like Roger. Dang, how long was I sleeping?

Rushing up, I went into the living room, where Roger was watching television. "Yes, sir?"

"Couldn't get to work. Had to call in. Sit."

How long had I been asleep? I looked at the clock and saw it had only been an hour. Yawning softly, I sat back down next to him. Then where did Kyra go?

"They're showing the history of Christmas. Figured you'd like to see this."

…Why? I just sat there watching it, trying to figure out why I was chosen for this. Though it really wasn't bad, I still didn't understand his new found obsession with watching television with me. Though, seeing as he's stuck with Kyra every night, who wouldn't be caught dead watching something with him, maybe he just likes being with someone who listens without talking back.

I hear Kyra call out for me from somewhere and I frown. Roger groans.

"Would you be quiet? He's in here."

"Why?" She comes walking in. "I left for, like, two seconds and you're back in here with my dad?"

"I called him to come watch this show with me," Roger says.

"You need friends. He's my friend. Get some your own age. Come on," she says my name. She thought it was weird calling me Fanboy in front of Roger, which I understand and condone.

"Actually, Ky-"

"Then I'm staying to."

She sits down next to us, arms crossed. Roger rolls his eyes, turning up the television a little. When Roger gets up to go to the bathroom a few minutes later, Kyra takes it upon herself to stretch out across his spot on the couch, her head almost in my lap, but arguably not, if a problem arises.

"Kyra-"

"You can sit in the chair," she tells Roger before he can complain. He shakes his head before doing so. Watching him out of the corner of my eye, I move my hand to lay it down on her stomach. I had to be careful not to touch her boobs, because I don't think we'll ever hit a point when that's cool. Especially with her dad right there…

If he sees, he doesn't care. Kyra moves a little so that she's even more in my lap. I wish she had hair that I could play with, but alas, she's bald. I rub her head once, which gets me swatted at.

"Stop that."

"It's for luck."

"Shhh," Roger shushes, still engrossed in the television. Kyra settles down for a nap and I watch most of the program before following suit. This time when I wake up, everything's still the same, except the channel is now on CNN and Roger's on the phone. Kyra, who's rolled in her sleep, has her head pressed against my stomach. Oh God.

I could feel her freaking breath on me. It's so even. Her ear is directly over my crotch and I have to think of something else, something other than her or any chick for that matter, just to keep it down. Her breathing though. I'm freezing, as I have no blanket, and it's so warm, even through my shirt. She leans forward in her sleep and her lips brush my stomach, almost like a kiss, but not at all. I debate if I should get up now, before a problem, literally, arises or wait it out. When she starts cuddling against me, moving her head back and forth, I can't tell if she's messing with me or not, but I know that I need to do something about it.

Getting up woke Kyra, but that's better than something poking her awake. She sits up on her elbows and watches as I head down the hall, to the guest bathroom. I stayed for what I felt was the allotted time before flushing the toilet and turning on the faucet, pretending to wash my hands.

When I get back, Kyra's stolen the remote from Roger and has it on some horror movie. She lifts her feet, apparently understanding my earlier issue, and waits for me to sit down. When I do, she lays them in my lap.

"It's the middle of the movie, Ky. How do you know what's going on?"

"It's a horror flick. The black guy dies first, then the annoying one, then the slut, and the virgin lives. End of movie."

Nice to know there's an incentive for staying a virgin.

"Be quiet. I'm working," Roger says, to which Kyra rolls her eyes. I run a hand down her leg, smiling at her. She wiggles her toes.

'Toe socks?' I mouth.

'Shut up,' she mouths back. I love her mouth. So much. She's not wearing lipstick right now. Actually, she's not really dressed up at all. No black, no white, just a T-shirt and sleep pants. Of course, she put on the 'magic' bra for my arrival, but at least I get to see her in something other than her usual monochromatic scale.

'Hard on?'

I pop one of her toes, making her curse softly. I get kicked, but I just smile. We settle down again and I go back to stroking her leg. We switch between the horror movie and some cartoon. Roger hangs up the phone after awhile and I expect for him to ask for the remote back, but he doesn't. Instead he just sits there, staring at the cartoon.

Kyra's not even paying attention at this point. She has her phone out, texting one of her friends. I fear that I'm boring her and she'll tell me to get lost so that she can hang out with Jecca and Simone. She doesn't.

"Kind of chilly in here."

"It is snowing, Roger."

He rolls his eyes at his daughter before standing. I heard a door close and assume he's in his office or bedroom. The second he's gone, Kyra jumps up and goes to get a soda out of the kitchen.

"Lay down and I'll share."

I lay on the couch and she lay down on top of me. We both take turns with the coke before setting it down on the coffee table.

"Listen for his footsteps."

"What's he going to do? You're his little buddy now."

"And? He told me not to do something with you that I wouldn't do in front of him."

"Why not do this in front of him?"

"It looks wrong."

"How?" She lays her head down on my chest, closing her eyes. "It's not at all interesting for me. What with how boney you are and all, it's actually rather uncomfortable."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm still tired."

"Then sleep, Don."

I kissed her head before she could say anything. "Maybe I will, Ky."

She laughs a little, reaching for the remote. "Is there anything you want to watch? Oh, wait, let me guess. I'm sure there's a documentary on somewhere."

"Shut up," I say, but not in a mean way, so I don't get in trouble. She feels nice on my chest, not too heavy, but heavy enough. She can't way more than 90. No way anything over that.

She rests her hand next to her head, sighing a little. "What was in your backpack?"

"New stuff for Schemata."

She nods a little. "Did you want my computer or something? You can use it."

"Maybe later."

"Whatever."

We're laying there for so long, that I'm half asleep and half listening to the judge show she put it on. It's not until we both hear Roger clear his throat that we even move. And she only does so to crane her neck.

"Move, Roger. I'm watching TV."

He just shakes his head. I wait for Kyra to get up, but she does. Well crap. I look at Roger, but he's already walking away, apparently content with the fact that we're not doing anything.

"How could that stupid judge let her win?"

I sigh. "Ky."

"What? You're just disagreeing with me to annoy me."

"No. I figured that's what you were doing."

She shrugs, changing the channel, now apparently pissed at Mathis. "Whatever. You hungry?"

"A little."

"Go get us something from the kitchen."

"You're the one on top of me."

She huffs before getting off me. As she's in the kitchen, Roger comes back.

"Up," he whispers and I jump up. "No more of this…laying business. Got it?"

I nod quickly.

"Sit."

I sit back down on the couch, fearful.

"I made popcorn, but it's a little burnt so-" Kyra stopped talking as she made it back to me, instead just staring at Roger. Huffing, she put up no fight and sat back down next to me. "Here."

She sat the bowl in my lap, her glare fixed on her father. "Could you, like, move? We're watching TV. God, you know how to ruin a snow-"

She stopped talking as the power went out. We had all been expecting this, as the power outages were frequent with heavy snow. Roger groaned before walking off.

"At least it's dark now," she said, staring at me. After the scare Roger gave me, I figured even thinking about what she meant with that would get me in trouble.

"Maybe I should call home and-"

"Why?"

"I didn't tell anyone where I was going."

"You said your mom wasn't home."

"Tony was."

"He saw you leave, right? So if he didn't care, that's his problem."

"Ky."

She groaned, pulling out her cell phone. "Here. Call Mommy like a little baby. Whatever."

I don't get why everything has to be a taunt or insult with her. Normal people call their parents when they're out. It doesn't take common sense to figure that out.

I called my mother's cell, but she didn't answer, so I left a message, telling her where I was. I even called home, but no one picked up there either.

"See? They don't care about you." She takes her cell phone back before grabbing some popcorn. "Bleh. Tastes nasty."

I shrug. "Better than nothing."

"Since the television's out anyways, let's go to my room." Kyra picks up the bowl and walks off, expecting me to follow. I sigh, doing so.

"Where are you guys going?" Roger asks from his office, where he's writing something on a piece of paper.

"My room."

"Door open, Kyra."

She just rolls her eyes. I sit down on the bed, patting the spot next to me.

"I don't know what the eff he said to you, but get it out of your head. Aren't you guys buddies now anyways?"

"No. You just think that because we're nice to each other. And maybe I don't want to lay down with you."

"God, I wish the power was back on." She sat down next to me, once again giving me the popcorn to hold. As he blinds were drawn, it was very dark in the room. We were passing the bowl back and forth when her cell phone rang.

"Ew, I think it's your mother." She handed me the phone.

"Hello?"

She says my name.

"Yeah, Mom."

"When did you leave? You didn't spend the night with her did you?"

I was afraid of Kyra hearing her, so I get up and walk out. "Of course not. Tony came into my room and told me that it was a snow day. So I told Kyra and asked if I can come over. Her dad's home, if you're wondering."

She pauses. "I want you to come home. We have some stuff to talk about."

"There's nothing to talk about. Tony said I could stay with him and I will, until I find somewhere better to live."

"Now be serious, Donnie. You can't stay with him. He's just doing this to get back at me."

"Then I'll stay with Cal until I get an apartment or something. All I know is that I'm not moving in with you and this new guy or whatever. I'm not. I'm not leaving town for you, not again."

"You'll do as I say."

"I'm sixteen. No, I don't."

I hang up on her before going back to Kyra's room. She was laying down now, but I just sit down next to her, sighing.

"Your butt is close to my face."

I move down the bed a little. Kyra reaches a hand out and rubs my back.

"Trouble with Mommy?"

"Just shut up, Kyra. God."

When I don't get yelled at, I take it as a good sign. She's quiet for awhile before saying, "I'm not being mean, Don. I'm just teasing."

I reach a hand over and lay it on her leg, which is right next to me. Stroking it lightly, I look around the room. My shoes are sitting right next to her, the snow now melted from them, making a puddle on the floor. I think about offering to get a towel to clean it up, but I don't want to move.

"Hey, Ky?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not leaving. I don't care what she says."

"Donald…even if you do, like, move, I'm not going to break up with you. If your mother was seeing this guy, he must not live far away, right? We'd still see each other."

"This isn't just about you. I mean, it is about you, just not all about you. I'm not starting another school where I'm a loser. I'm not losing the only place I have to run Schemata. I'm not losing all that because she's not getting enough out of her relationship with Tony."

"Whatever happens happens, Donnie."

"Stop saying my name so freaking much."

She sits up and moves closer to me. "Why do you hate your name? I think it's…cute. You, like, rarely ever hear that name."

"I don't hate it, I just…I don't know." I glance at her, realizing that she's trying to get my mind off my issues and onto something lighter. "You never hear your name. Kyra. It's pretty though."

"It is not."

"Yes, it is. I've never met anyone else with that name."

"That doesn't make it cute."

"Yes, it does."

"How?"

"Because you're cute."

I want a kiss, but instead I get a shove. "I am not."

"You are though." I close my eyes a little, letting out a yawn. "You just don't want people to know. You do the cutest things though constantly."

"Can a guy say cutest?"

"I don't really care, because I'm going to keep saying it. Cute. That's it! You're Cute Kyra."

"Don't push me, Don."

"What?"

"I'm serious."

I laugh a little bit, but leave her alone after that. Kyra leans against my arm and we sit together, on her little bed, waiting for the power to come back on. It doesn't.

I spend the day over there with her and Roger, who eventually calls me back to the living room, where he has now found an interesting book about Ronald Reagan. I get a lecture on that and it's almost like I'm back in school. Almost.

When it was getting close to time to work, I call my boss to find out if we've got power at the shop. Nope. So I'm off.

"God," Kyra complains when I relay the message. "Well, I'm leaving to go hangout with Jecca and Simone, so you can-"

"I'll drop you off and just go back home. No big deal, Ky." I look at Mr. Seller's and tell him that we could finish talking about the book next time I was over. Kyra groans at the notion. Ignoring her, I head to her bedroom to get my coat and things. I was putting back on my boots when I feel her watching me from the doorway.

"What?"

She shrugs, just standing there. I get up, my hat in my hands. "Get ready, Ky. You're not even in your shoes or coat. Come on. You want to go, right?"

Again, I just get a shrug. Sighing a little, I force my hat down on her freshly bald head, then running my hands down her face. I kiss her, lingering for a second. Kyra gives me a smile, her lip ring scratching my face gently due to our close proximity. When she returns the kiss, she wraps her arms around my neck, turning her hands up to run them up my neck.

"You're so cold all the time," she said, smiling at me.

"It is below freezing outside."

"Still."

"You're cold too."

"Am I?"

"Yeah."

She laughs a little, which even with the magic bra is nice. I move to kiss her again, but someone clearly their throat makes me stop. Kyra looks to her right and sees Roger. Groaning, she shakes her head and rolls her eyes. I get a quick kiss before she says, "If I'm going to have to get ready, alright? Dressed and stuff. Can you give me a minute?"

"Yeah. Alright."

She kisses me again before going into her bedroom, pushing me the rest of the way out, and closing the door.

"Come."

I follow Roger to the living room, not sure if I'm more upset by the fact he may try to murder me or the fact that I didn't get to keep making out with Kyra.

"Go outside and start your car. It'll need to warm up. Take a pitcher of water too, to throw on the window shield."

I follow his instructions before going back into the house. Roger nods at the couch and I sit back down.

"That in the hall was something that you would do in front of your mother/"

"No."

He shakes his head at me. "Do not make me force you to never come back."

I think about mentioning the fact that if we had stopped where I wanted it to stop, we wouldn't have done that. Instead, I just nod.

About ten minutes later, Kyra comes back out in black, even down to her coat. The only ounce of color on her was my hat, which made me smile. She rolls her eyes at Roger before walking out the door. I bid him goodbye before following.

"So where are we going?" I ask as I get into the car. It was still cold in the car and Kyra wrapped her arms around herself. "Simone or Jecca's?"

"Jecca's."

"What are they doing there?"

"Party."

"How?" I was trying to figure out how they could possibly blast a stereo without power.

"It's a silent party."

"I don't-"

"It's cool. Just drop me off."

"Can you get a ride back or-"

"Yes, God."

We ride in silence after that. When we get to her friend's house, I can't see anyone in the house. Must be some party for…a silence party. Kyra starts to get out, but I stop her.

"Seriously though, if you need a ride, just call, alright? I have nothing else to do all day. Don't walk home."

"No shit, Fanboy."

I smile at her, trying to get her to do the same for me, but it doesn't work. I let her go and she leaves.

When I get home, Mom is waiting for me. She's fuming. She gets up and gets into my face.

"Don't you ever hang up on me."

I sigh, closing the door behind me. "I'm not leaving town. I'm just not. Kyra's here, Cal's here, Schemata is here, my life is here. I don't care who you're sleeping with, I'm not-"

I take a second to realize what she did. All I feel is pain in my cheek. Then I understand. She slapped me. For what?

"Get out."

"What?"

"Leave. You want to stay in this town so bad? Fine. Go. See how badly your friends want you now."

So I left.


	4. Chapter 4

Looking for a Home

Chapter 4

I went to Cal's first, but his mother said that he couldn't be bothered. He was grounded. On a snow day. Wow. So…I was kind of out of friends. So I went back to Jecca's house to hangout with Kyra and her friends.

I knocked on the door and some kid I didn't know answered. I had seen him a few times hanging around Kyra, but I had never learned his name. He was the stereotypical poser, or at least that's what I call them when Kyra's not around.

He must have been stoned or something, because he just runs off, leaving the door wide open. I take a step inside and am startled by Simone, who pops from behind the couch.

"You?" She just stares at me. She looked drunk. "What're you doin' here?"

"Why were you behind the couch?" I thought of the millions of things Kyra had told me Simone had done and found better of that question. "Never m-"

"Hide 'n' seek, dummy."

Oh, but I'm the dummy? I close the door behind me, but when I turn back to Simone, she's hiding again. I walk behind the couch.

"Uh, Simone-"

"Shhh! No talkin'."

I sigh, looking around for someone with a clearer head to ask about where Kyra is. Everyone else was gone though, so I headed into another room. It was the kitchen.

"Jecca?"

She glanced at me before rolling her eyes. She was standing at the counter, messing with something, but I couldn't tell what, because her back was to me.

"What do you want?"

I don't know why she hated me so much, but she did.

"Kyra. I-"

"I don't know where she is. Find her."

"Thanks-"

"And be quiet about it."

I walk off, now headed back into the living room. I can still see Simone hiding behind the couch, but at this point I think it's turned more into sleeping than anything else. I glance up the stairs, weighing my options. I'm here now though, so I might as well find her.

"Ky?" I call out before remembering I had to be quiet. Because that's how all parties are with posers, apparently. When I opened the first door, I quickly shut it. So Kyra and her friends do some things the same as normal parties. I almost say sorry, but then I realize they couldn't complain about me walking in on them, because they were supposed to be quiet too. So ha.

"Donald?"

I turned my head to see Kyra peaking out from the hall closet. I smile, walking over to her. Kyra pulls me into the closet quickly, confusing me.

"What-"

"Shhh. You have to be quiet."

It's awkward, pushed together in the cramped closet, but Kyra seems fine with our close proximity, or as far as I know she is.

"What are you doing here?" She whispers, leaning closer up to my face. I lean down to her ear, my smile going away.

"My mom yelled at me and slapped me. Then she kind of kicked me out. Sort of. So I went to go hangout with Cal until she cools down, but he's grounded. I figured I could come to your party."

"It's not really a party."

"That's what you called it."

"Yeah, but it's just…You won't like it."

"So you want me to leave?"

She groans, staring at me in the darkness. "Well, no."

"Good."

And then we're standing there in the dark closet, neither wanting to move because that would mean that we would have to separate.

"So now that you're kicked out, are you going to live in your car like a homeless person?"

"Nah, I'll just sneak into my girlfriend's house every night."

She snorts, scrunching up her face. "Like my dad would ever go for that."

"Who says I'm talking about you?"

When we kiss, it's like our legs give out. Somehow, we manage to fall onto the floor of the linen closet. At first, I was in her lap, but we quickly rearranged ourselves, never breaking the connection between our lips.

We had only been together a few weeks so far. We had never made out like this. Kyra has her tongue in my mouth and I'm trying to not get too turned on. She wraps her arms around my neck, sitting up slightly, her knees now on either side of my legs. I'm not sure what to do with my hands because I know that Ky's weird about her breasts and almost all the rest of her body. So I find it safe to keep them on her hips, rubbing my thumbs in circles.

"Found- Kyra?"

By the point, she's unzipped my coat and pushed it off me. I've pushed her shirt up, though only about a inch, so that I can feel her skin. It's cool to the touch, unlike my body, which feels like it's on fire. She had been wearing my hat, but I've knocked it off, also taking the time to push that pesky scarf off her bald head.

She glances behind us. "Eff off, alright?"

"Who is he?"

It's some girl, but I don't know who she is. Behind her, I can see Jecca, watching. More like glaring.

"He's _Donald_."

If I thought I hated my name before, I clearly hadn't heard the way that Jecca said it. Kyra leans up and grabs the doorknob, pulling the door shut again. Now though, I can't get into it like before. I mean, I'm into it, but…What did I ever do to Jecca?

Suddenly, we can hear voices outside the door. For a quiet party, they sure do break the rules a lot.

"She's in there? Doin' it? Go Kyra!"

She groans, pulling back from me. "I hate Sim sometimes."

"I thought you guys are supposed to be quiet?"

She shrugs. "Sim's never quiet."

I sigh, leaning my head back when it's clear that her friend had ruined the moment. "You think we'll have school tomorrow?"

"Nah. Someone ran into the power lines near the school. We've got a long weekend."

Tomorrow was Friday anyways, so that was all good. I had a test tomorrow, so that gave me longer to study, though I really didn't need it.

"Cal's gonna be grounded all weekend or something."

"Why is he grounded anyways?"

"Something to do with that girl that he said he was taking out on Saturday. His mom caught them doing something."

She rolled her eyes before kissing me quickly and standing. I just watch as she picks up her scarf and wraps it back around her head before putting the hat back on. "Get your coat. We're leaving."

"For where?"

"Anywhere. You pick."

I grab my coat and follow her out of the closet. Not saying anything to anyone, though she does get some stares, she walks out of house. I pull on my coat, rushing after her.

"You're not going to say goodbye to your friends?"

"They won't care."

I sigh, getting into my car. It's freezing.

"What happened to your coat?" I asked, realizing that she had left it in her rush to leave.

"I don't know, Don. Just go."

"Kyra-"

"Go."

I reached into the backseat, trying to find something to keep her warm. "I have a sweatshirt or a blanket. Take your pick."

"Why do you have a blanket?"

"Not sure. You want it?" I go ahead and give her both. Kyra pulls on my sweatshirt even though it's red, a direct foul on her color scheme. Then she wraps the mystery blanket around her.

"I better not find out you were screwing girls in the back of your car while I was in the loony bin and this blanket's left over from then."

"We weren't together then. Why would it matter?"

"Donald."

I smile at her. "I'm still a virgin, Ky."

"Good."

The heat's on full blast, but I'm still cold. I want to get out of the car and go somewhere, but I have nowhere to go.

"Wanna go back to your place?"

"Roger's still there."

"And?"

"Fine."

The snow's stopped, but the roads are still bad. When we get to Kyra's, Roger's spending his powerless hours sleeping on the couch. When we close the door, he stirs a little, but then sees it's just us and goes back to sleep.

"Wanna show me the stuff you brought over before for Schemata?"

I nod as we head into her room. "Sure. I'm glad you said something. I left my bag here. I would have needed it."

"Not now that you're homeless."

"She has to let me back in. If she doesn't and I tell my dad, he'll go to court and get me back. It's really that simple."

"But if you go back, then you have to move."

I sigh a little, sitting down on her bed. "Yeah, I know. It doesn't matter. She's just mad aright now."

"What did you say?"

"I'm not sure. Just that it's not my problem if she wants to move."

"That's it?"

"And something about her sleeping around."

"Your mom's too sensitive. I say worse things than that to Roger on a daily basis."

"Oh, I know." We were sitting on her bed, cross legged, facing each other. Her knees were almost touching mine and it was nice. "Here, look at this."

I pulled out some drawings and handed them to her. "Here, look at those."

Kyra takes them from me, staring at the drawings. We talk about Schemata for awhile, arguing a few plot points. She made me sketch up a whole new scene, claiming that her idea was better. I told her that I would ask Cal about it, but that just made her mad. So I got kicked out of the bedroom.

"What are you doing back in here?" Roger asks as I come to sit next to him on the couch. He's now reading a book by the light of a candle. God, they keep this house too closed up. There's no light coming from anywhere.

"Kyra's mad."

"I meant back at the house, not back in the living room."

"Oh. My mom's mad too."

He sighs a little, shaking his head. "They're too emotion, women are. Or girls, in Kyra's case."

If this is still Kyra being a girl, I'm hoping she never turns into a woman. I look at his book.

"I read that, once."

"Me too."

"You're rereading it?"

"If I buy a book, I'm going to get good use out of it. Those little comic things you read, you reread those, right?"

"Well, sure."

"It's the same thing to me." He sat the book down before getting up. "Why were you and your mother fighting anyways?"

"She wants to move out of town with her new boyfriend, but I don't want to leave."

"Your eighteen, aren't you?"

"Sixteen."

"You and Kyra are in the same grade?"

"Yes."

"I assumed you were older."

"Why?"

He didn't answer me, so I let it go, trying to take it as he thought I looked older, but knowing that it was really his only justification as to why his daughter would like me. If I was older, it would mean she was just going after the older guy, not the nerdy loser that's in the same grade as her.

"You're still here?" Kyra complained, coming back into the room a few minutes later. "I thought I said to leave."

"Leave where? I'm homeless, remember."

"Maybe she's calmed down now." Kyra sat down on the couch next to me. "Besides, she can't still be at the house to keep you out. Your stepdad's there, right? She won't want to be around him. Unless she really is a whore and still sleeping with him too-"

"Kyra!" Her father came back then, a coke and a pack of Pop Tarts in his hands. "Here, eat these and try not to offend your guest."

She shrugged, taking the Pop Tarts. "I'm just trying to be helpful."

I groan, crossing my arms above my head. Kyra broke one of her Pop Tarts in half and offered it to me, as a peace offering I guess. I took it even though I wasn't that hungry. So that's what Kyra lived off, Pop Tarts.

"You like strawberry?" I ask her, to which she nods. "I like chocolate chip."

"Of course you do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She just shrugs. I reach over and take my hat off her head, putting it on my own. She smile, eating her food. I'm kind of cold now that I've taken off my jacket, so I start rubbing my arms.

"Cold?" Kyra gets up and goes somewhere before coming back with a blanket. We almost share it, but then Roger clears his throat. She rolls her eyes, just giving it to me. I hand it back to her.

"You're probably more cold then me."

"Why?"

"You're bonier."

She elbows me, but does keep the blanket. I go back to rubbing my arms. Kyra watches me, sighing a little.

"Seriously, Roger?"

"What?" He's back into his book.

"It's not like sharing a blanket will knock me up."

"Ky."

He takes a deep breath. "You're really getting on my nerves, Kyra. One day. I have one extra day off, but you still need to find a way to annoy me. Why are you even here? I thought you ran off to a party or something?"

"Are you asking me to leave? Because there's so much that I could go out there and do."

"Then do it, Kyra. I mean, how bad could it be? He's been following you around for the past few weeks and nothing happens. Take him and everything will turn out fine."

She's mad now. "I don't have to take him anywhere. And the only reason I haven't done anything wrong is because I have to go see that stupid judge about stealing that car in a month. He has nothing to do with anything I do."

Roger just snorts.

"He doesn't. Him giving me rides has just stopped my need of cars, that's all."

"I'm sure, Kyra."

She gets up and leaves, which gets me the blanket the blanket at least. Roger sighs as she stomps off.

"See what I mean? Overly dramatic."

I nod a little.

"I can freaking hear you, Roger! And shut the eff up, Donald."

"I didn't say anything," I call back to her.

"Now you did."

Roger just shakes his head at me. "Her mother was the same way. Everything was-"

"Shut up!" This time, her door slams behind her. If I had a home to go home to, I would probably have left. As Kyra so kindly pointed out though, I am now homeless, so…

Roger sighs a little bit. "I don't know what she thinks slamming a door will do."

I shrug a little, wanting to go check on Kyra, but also not wanting to deal with her yelling at me. Roger sighs, standing up. He goes into the kitchen for a second before returning with a coke for me and a water bottle for him. Then we both just sit there in the dark, powerless house.

"What party did you go to?"

I glance at him. "Jecca's."

"Why didn't she stay?"

"I got kicked out of my house and then went over there to get her. When I got there and went in, I don't think any of them wanted me there so we left."

"You don't hang out with the people Kyra does?"

"He doesn't hang out with anyone because he's a loser." She comes back with my backpack. "Let's-"

"Honestly, Kyra, can't you even be nice to your boyfriend?"

She frowns at the term. "Come on, Don."

"Where are we going?" I get up to get my shoes and coat. "Ky-"

"Out."

"Out." I follow her to her room to get my stuff. "Out where?"

"Places."

"Well, if I'm driving, you're going to have to tell me."

"Just come on."

When we get back to the living room, Roger has objections.

"Kyra, the roads are torn up. I didn't really want you guys going out the first time, but I surely don't want you out driving for fun. I think it's best if you just stay here."

"Nope." She pulls on my hat as she opens the door. "Come on, Donald."

I shrug at Roger before following. We get into my truck, which is freaking freezing. At least it's stopped snowing. Kyra wraps the blanket around her shoulders again, sighing a little.

"Where to?"

"Simone called. She needs a ride home. I want you to pick her up."

"Why can't Jecca take her home?"

"They're all drunk. You're sober. Come on, Donald, just do it."

"Stop saying my name so much," I mumble as I pull away from her house. "I mean, God, Kyra, you don't have to address me in every sentence. I'm the only one here."

I get thumped in the arm. "You've become really combative recently."

"Have I?"

"Yeah. I mean, you were annoying when I first got back, but now you're becoming unbearable. Not to mention you've switched sides."

"I'm not in the mood to be called gay right now."

She rolls her eyes. "I meant my father's team. You guys are all buddy buddy now, ganging up on me. I don't like it."

I glance at her and see that she's messing with her lip ring. She catches me staring at her through the review mirror and makes a face, trying to get me to laugh. It just makes me really horny, honestly.

"Is that Simone?" She says suddenly as we pass a figure walking down the snowy road. I move to pull along side it and roll down the window. The blast of cold that hits us makes me wish we were back at her house. "Simone!"

The figure, who looked like they were about to trip over something, glanced at us. "Kyra!"

"Get in the car, idiot."

"I'm jealous. You call others idiot too?"

Ignoring me, Kyra gets out of the car and helps Simone into my back seat. She wraps my blanket around her.

"Why didn't you wait?" She asks as she gets back into the front seat.

"You didn't come."

"You texted me and said to wait an hour, that you were busy with something."

Simone just groaned.

"Where to?" I asked. "Her house?"

"Are your parents home, Simone?" Kyra asks, ignoring me. "Or do you need to go back to my place?"

"Yours."

Kyra looks at me and shrugs. "Take me back home then."

Letting out a loud sigh, I turn around. "No more car rides for the day, Kyra. Are you guys sure you want to go back to your place?"

Again, I get a thump. "Stop second guessing me."

When we get to her place, Simone needs to be snuck in through Kyra's bedroom window. Or that was the plan. Of course Roger just happens to walk outside while Kyra was in the middle of executing it.

"No," he says simply, shaking his head. I see that he had his car keys, clearly headed somewhere. "I'm leaving and I don't want her-"

"Come on, Roger," Kyra pleads as Simone stumbles over. For my part, I keep my mouth shut, not wanting anything to do with the argument. I have no stake in the fight at all. "She needs a place to stay and Donald doesn't want to drive her home."

"How is that my problem?"

"Roger-"

"Ky, I'll take her home," I offer when it's clear that her father isn't going to. I get a death glare from my loving girlfriend, but from Roger I just get an exasperated sigh.

"You know what? Fine. All three of you stay, I don't care."

We all watch as he goes over to his car and drives away. I look at Kyra. "Where's he going?"

"Heck if I know," she says before grabbing Simone's hand and dragging her into the house. I follow quickly, not wanting to be out of the cold for any longer. Kyra took her friend to her bedroom, laying her down.

"So is this like, something you do for fun? Get wasted enough so that your friends have to drive you home and then watch you to make sure you don't choke on your own vomit?"

Simone blinks. "I like you."

Or at least that's what it sounded like she said, er, slurred.

"Yeah, Kyra does too."

Simone smiles for some reason as Kyra rolls her eyes.

"Anyways," my girlfriend says, going to sit down at her desk, "you should probably call home, Fanboy. It's getting kind of late."

"You? Worried about my wellbeing?"

Now I had annoyed her, so that was no longer the case.

"No," she says flatly. "I just don't want your mother blowing up my phone."

After taking the phone from her, I move back to the hallway, not wanting Kyra to be eavesdropping. Simone either, though I think she's passed out by now.

My mother doesn't pick up. I got back in Kyra's room to find her typing on her computer. With nowhere to sit, I move to stand behind her. For once, she doesn't stop me.

"Simone's out," she whispers. "You wanna go in the living room and watch TV? The power's back on."

"Yeah, sure."

When we get out there, Kyra doesn't try to jump my bones for once and we actually watch a sitcom together. Kyra, not one to ever be amused unless it involves someone else's pain, is silent, but sometimes that's good.

Roger comes home at some point with lunch. Simone is still sleeping, but he only brought enough home for the three of us anyways. We eat in the living room and Roger actually let's us watch something that is neither political nor educational. Eventually, I'm roped into taking Simone home on my own way home. Being alone with her is not fun, but a few hours had passed and she had sobered slightly.

When I get home, my mother's there, waiting. I felt like that's all she ever did nowadays. How did she find time to ruin my life between all this waiting, caring for Betta, and sleeping around? She's amazing.

"I thought I told you not to come back here?"

She's playing me, but after dealing with Kyra, I'm good at games too.

"I'm just here for my stuff."

I don't know why I said that. I have nowhere to go. My feet control my mind though, and suddenly I'm walking down to the basement. She stands in the doorway, fuming as I pack a duffle bag. When I push passed her, I fear she'll hit me again, but she doesn't. She still thinks I'm bluffing. And I am, but no need to tell her this.

"I really am leaving," I say as I walk back to the living room.

"Then go."

Is this what poker is like? Then I guess I won because I walked out.

* * *

Like I said, I had nowhere to go.

"What are you doing here?"

I shrug a little.

Taking a step back, Kyra lets me in. Roger, who's on the couch, glances up.

"What are you doing here?"

I can't talk for some reason. Kyra stares at me.

"Your mom?"

I nod.

Kyra looks at Roger. "Please-"

"No."

"Roger-"

"No."

"You're off tomorrow anyways. It's not like we'll be doing anything if you're up."

"I said no."

I shake my head, turning to leave. I shouldn't have come any-

"Wait, Donald."

I glance behind me. "Yes?"

"…One night." He stands up. "You'll sleep on the couch. "Kyra, go get him some blankets."

Her lip ring goes up into that twisted smile she has and I follow her down the hall.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Kyra asks, which I usually would question, but I can't. I just shake my head and she leaves me alone.

Even though it's only nine at night at that point, I go to bed the second that Roger gives me the couch. I go to sleep in my boxers and undershirt, not caring that they're X-Men. Kyra doesn't seem shocked or interested anyways. I think Roger's just glad that I didn't sleep nude.

Around three in the morning I wake up to find that I'm alone and my blankets have fallen off. Picking them back up, I decide that I liked the Seller house much more than my own.


	5. Chapter 5

Looking for a Home

Chapter 5

"Should I wake him up?"

There's a pause.

"Let him sleep. He's not hurting anything. I'll wake him for breakfast." Roger pauses again. "It's not snowing today."

I've curled my feet up, so I feel it when Kyra sits on the end of the couch. "We were going to go to the comic book store a few towns over."

"I don't think you should. The roads are still pretty bad."

I expect a fight, but she doesn't say anything. I hear Roger's footfalls as he heads into the kitchen. Kyra just sits next to me, watching television. When I wake up finally, it's because Roger calls out for us to come get our food. I get up and pull on my shirt from yesterday before following Kyra into the kitchen.

"Sleep fine?" Roger asks me, to which I nod. "You should probably call your mother; let her know that you're okay."

I shake my head a little. "I'm still making a point."

"You have to go home eventually."

He gets a shrug. Sighing a little bit, he sat down at the table. I sit down next to him and for once, Kyra sits with us. No one speaks much. After we finish eating, Kyra goes to take a shower, leaving me alone with her father for the millionth time.

"I have work today," he tells me. "I'm trusting that you and Kyra can be here alone."

I nod a little. "I have to find a place to stay, anyways, so I probably won't be here long."

Roger shakes his head slightly, taking both of our plates to the sink. After he heads to his bedroom to get ready for work, I go back into the living room, pulling on my discarded jeans. Then I walk to Kyra's room. She was still in the bathroom, so I decide to get on her computer. When I sit down though, I notice that her IM's been left up and at some point last night she was talking to Cal. I read through what she had wrote to him, shocked that she even knew his IM name. Turns out though that she just wanted to tell him about me, about how I needed a place to stay. He told her that it wasn't a good time, that he was grounded currently. Kyra called him a few choice words before ending the conversation.

"Spy on me a lot?

"Only when you're talking to my friends behind my back."

"Why Donnie, I'm shocked. You have friends?" She comes up behind me and looks over my shoulder. "So he's off your list of places to stay. You gonna go home then?"

"I don't think I will."

"Then where will you go, Fanboy? You don't have any other people that will take you in."

"I don't know, okay?" I glance up at her. "New bandana?"

She reaches up, running a hand over her bald head, which is covered by a cloth with skulls on it. "I found it in one of my dresser drawers. You like it?"

I shrug. "Not my style."

"You don't have a style."

"I'm offended."

"Good." She kisses the top of my head before going over to her bed and laying down. "What do you want to do today, Don?"

"Besides getting you to call me something else?"

"Yes."

"I dunno. I need to find a place to stay, I guess." I log onto her internet, planning on emailing Cal. Kyra's cell goes off, but it's just Jecca, so she ignores it.

"Are you guys fighting or something?"

"No," she tells me, shaking her head a little. "She's just been a real bitch to me recently."

"How come?"

"She doesn't like you."

"Oh, wow, way to be blunt, Ky."

"Well, you asked." She sighed a little. "I'm bored. Come over here."

"To do what?"

"I just want you to come over here."

I logged out of my email account, about to do that, when Roger stuck his head in the room.

"I'm leaving," he told us, staring straight at me. "You two will be fine alone?"

And anything I thought might happen just fled my mind.

"Yeah, Roger," Kyra said with an eye roll. "It's not like we'll be screwing the second you walk out the door."

"Ky," I sigh, sitting back down in the desk chair. Roger takes a deep breath, clearly ready to yell at her, but then his cell rang.

"I have to go," he says, walking away. "I mean what I said, Kyra."

After he's left the house, Kyra scoots over on her bed, patting the spot she's made. Slowly, I move to lay down with her.

"Mmmm." Kyra closes her eyes, resting her hand on my chest. "Let's sleep for a little while longer. I feel like shit."

I glance at her head, which is next to mine. When did this become my life? Shifting around on the bed, I turn to face her. Kyra responds by moving her arm to wrap it around me. She gets a kiss from me, though it was very quick. We had a few times of laying together like this under our belts, but not nearly enough for me to not be self-conscious.

Kyra lays her head against mine, closing her eyes. I lay there for awhile, trying to find sleep. Eventually I do. When I wake up, Kyra's rolled in her sleep and has her back to me. Feeling adventurous, I reach forward, pulling her back to me. Kyra rouses a little bit, turning to glance at me before settling out.

"You woke me up."

"Sorry," I mumble, not sure what to do now that I have her in my arms. I settle with running my hand up and down her stomach, which succeeds in making her squirm.

"Stop it, Fanboy."

"I'm just messing with you."

"I know." She settles in my arms, sighing a little. "Let's just sleep."

Kyra was able to fall right back asleep, but I had trouble. So after awhile, I get up to go to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, I realize that I look like crap. My hair is all messy and I look tired.

When I get back to Kyra, she's rolled over again, now facing the wall. I go over to her desk and pick up her cell phone to call my mother, if only because I didn't want her to be too worried. Just worried enough to get my point.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mom? I just wanted you to know that I-"

She says my name, "where are you? This isn't funny. You need to come home."

Frowning as I sat down at Kyra's computer, I say, "Mom, I can't. You're the one that's trying to make me move."

"Where are you?"

"I'm with Kyra."

"What?"

"I stayed on her couch."

"You are coming back home, now. What? Did you think that I was just going to let you stay with your girlfriend? And what about her father?"

"He's here. Well, he's at work right now, but he was here." I lean back in the chair, staring up at the ceiling. "He let me stay the night."

"Oh, I see. You think that you've found something better, over there? Huh?"

"No," I tell her slowly. "I'm just trying to make a point."

"And what would that point be," she adds my name.

"That you can live your life and I can live mine. I don't need you."

I say this without thinking, but immediately regret it. For a moment, my mother does not speak. When she does, I can tell that I had neither won nor loss. My mother had just given up.

"You know what? Fine. Stay there. See if I care."

After she hangs up, I lay there for a few minutes, still staring at the ceiling. I had never noticed before, but Kyra had put a little photo up in the top left corner. I can't make out who it is, but can tell that it's a woman.

"So you're in trouble?" Kyra asks, apparently having been awake.

"I dunno."

"Mmm. I'm starting to hate your mother."

Ignoring that, I asks, "Who's in that picture?"

"What picture?"

"In corner, on the ceiling."

She doesn't even turn to look. "My mother."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

She gets up suddenly and comes over to me, sitting in my lap, staring up at the ceiling also. "So you sleep in superhero boxers?"

"Yep." I like the feeling of her in my lap. She warms me.

"That's cute, Fanboy. That name has never fit you more."

"Ha ha." I slowly wrap an arm around her body, holding her to me. "I have work today."

"That's cool."

"Yeah." I sigh a little. "Last night, when you were trying to convince Roger to let me stay, you said he was off."

"He is."

"Then where is he right now?"

Kyra frowns. "Maybe he had to go in because he missed."

"Maybe he has a mistress."

Shaking visibly with disgust, Kyra says, "Then I hope that he keeps it a secret. I do not want to meet the woman that's boning Roger."

"The Jolly Roger," I correct, making her laugh a little. I like that, making Kyra laugh. It's so rare when I get her to do it that I relish in it when it happens.

"He'd be very jolly then," she agrees.

"He'd have to throw down a few arrggs, eh?"

"Mmm." Kyra shifts slightly so that she's curled against me. "I think I might be able to get the Jolly Roger to let you spend the night. Only if I'm on my best behavior though."

"So I'll have to sleep in my truck?"

I get thumped in the head, but I just smile. "I'm not going to ask to stay, Ky. I mean, your dad's been very nice to me so far. It wouldn't be fair to take advantage of that."

"We could always just tell him that you knocked me up and want to stay with the baby," she suggests.

"Sorry, I prefer living. Shocking, I know."

* * *

I'm not even there when Roger gets home. I had work that day, so I left Kyra around four to go to the comic book store. When my shift ends, it's nine in the evening and I have nowhere to go. I know they always so that you can go home, but I honestly didn't think that that was an option. My point hadn't even been clear to her the day before, so no way would she understand it yet.

So I only had Kyra's to go back to.

When I get there, I just sit out in the driveway, not sure what to do. I don't want Roger to turn me down, but I honestly have nowhere else to go.

"Fanboy?"

I roll down my window as Kyra comes to it. "Hey, sorry, I just-"

"I saw your car. So did Roger. He made dinner for us."

"For us?"

She nods. "He automatically assumed that you were coming back."

"Really?"

"Yeah. So come on."

I get out of the truck slowly. "Are you sure?"

"Fanboy, trust me, nothing would please me more than to crush your dreams of food and warmth, but he honestly offered you to stay here. Not even offered, just decided. So come inside, eat, and stay. No one wants you to leave."

When I get inside, Roger's in the kitchen, at the table. Kyra leaves to go back to her room, but I go into the kitchen.

"Hungry?" He asks me as I go over to the stove. He's made spaghetti.

"A little," I answer back as I get a bowl before going to sit down next to him. "Kyra's not."

"She'll probably eat Pop-Tarts later," he says with a shrug. "She did, however, say that you went to work."

"Yeah," I say as I slowly begin to eat.

"I want Kyra to get a job, but she has a hard enough time doing as I ask," Roger says with a shake of his head. "Did you call your mother?"

"It…didn't go well."

Roger sighs a little bit. "Then I guess you'll be taking the couch again?"

"That's really not-"

"It's fine," he says with a shrug. "I can't just let you sleep out in your car. It's freezing outside."

After dinner, I get my duffle bag out of my truck before coming back inside. Roger lets me shower, waiting for me in the living room. When I get in there, he's watching HLN. I sit down next to him on the couch, even though I really don't want to watch this. Roger glances at me.

"You know," he says my name, "when I was seventeen, Kyra's mother and I ran off for a little while. We both ended up back at home though."

"Why?"

"Did we go home? We ran out of money."

"No. Why did you leave?"

He laughs at that, turning down the television slightly. "I don't know. Her birthday had just passed, so she had that money and we both had been saving the paychecks from our jobs. Teenagers with too much money is never a good combination."

"Where did you go?"

"Just drove to a hotel a few towns over and...lived together for awhile." He clears his throat. "We, uh, just had to suck it up though, our pride, and go back eventually. I don't know your mother, I don't know your father, and I don't know your stepfather, but I do know that I would want Kyra back. Hell, when she was in that facility or the hospital when she… Did you know? That she slit her wrists before?"

I nod a little, thinking back to that day that I taunted her with the fact that most people think cutting your wrists is just a ploy for attention. Staring at Roger right now, I can tell that he doesn't believe that, that he honestly thinks his daughter wanted to die.

"Yes," I whisper, slightly shamed by the fact that I had been so harsh towards her that day, in my basement bedroom when she showed me her bra. "She's told me. That's why I called you that time, when I thought…yeah, she told me."

Roger nods slightly. "She scares me, how she can have so much self hate. I don't send her away because I hate her, Donald, even though I know she thinks that's the reason. I do it because, even though I have to go without her for that time, it's better than if I never got to be with her again."

I stare at the television hard, not wanting to look at him. It isn't that I feel awkward as much as I feel like this is something personal, something that only family should know.

"That point is that I know that your parents will want you home. Whether it's with your mother or father, they'll want you with family. I know that it's hard to leave town, especially in high school, but they'll want you home. I know that I would want Kyra home."

Neither of us speaks again and, eventually, he heads off to bed. Around eleven, Kyra sneaks into the living room. At that time, I was laying down on the couch, watching TV.

"Pool? You're watching a pool tournament."

"They put it on the channel, clearly it's meant for someone to watch it." I move to sit up, allowing her to sit next to me on the couch. "Your dad's in bed."

"What? Is that an invitation?"

I blush in the darkness. "No. God, Ky."

She leans against my arm, sighing a little bit. "I heard you and the pirate talking."

"You're always eavesdropping, aren't you?"

"Yeah, pretty much." She sighs a little bit. "Were you going to bed?"

"No," I say, stifling a yawn. "Why?"

"I want to stay up and watch TV with you for awhile."

I glance down the hall, trying to judge if Roger was coming back. I figure not; he probably has already gone to bed. "I thought your father was rich?"

"Not rich. Why?"

"You'd figure he could buy you a TV for your bedroom."

She shrugs a little. "I used to have one, but then he took it away. Apparently being disrespectful is a punishable offence. Who knew?"

I smile. "Yeah. You'd think that he'd be grateful for your disrespecting him."

"I know! At least I'm talking to him." She moves one of her hands to cup one of mine. "You like it when I disrespect you, right?"

"Totally."

She just laughs.

* * *

**There you go, Fan, hope the next one doesn't take as long. **


End file.
